An Alternate Destiny
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: Prues' battle with a warlock catapults her out of her own time and into an unfamiliar future. A future where Piper hates her and a serial killer is stalking the innocent. And where she may need the Power of Three to stop the killer.
1. Default Chapter

CHARMED  
"AN ALTERED DESTINY"  
by J. B. Tilton  
email: aramath@isot.com  
Rating: PG (for mild language)  
  
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are   
the property of the WB television network, except for those characters   
specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction   
and no infringement of copyright is intended.  
  
* * *  
  
(Authors note: This story takes place between the season 3   
episodes "Honeymoon's Over" and "Magic Hour".)  
  
* * *  
  
Prues' battle with a warlock catapults her out of her own time   
and into an unfamiliar future. A future where Piper hates her and a   
serial killer is stalking the innocent. And where she may need the   
Power of Three to stop the killer.  
  
* * *  
  
PART 1: A LOOK AHEAD  
  
While fighting a warlock, Prue is cast twenty-eight years into   
the future. There, she discovers a very bleak future for the Charmed   
Ones.  
  
* * *  
  
ONE  
  
Prue turned the corner and headed back to the manor. It had   
taken her more than an hour to cool off after her fight with her   
sister. Now, she was more calm and rational. And the argument didn't   
seem as important as it had an hour ago.  
  
As she reflected on the argument, she realized it had been   
ridiculous. A minor problem blown way out of proportion by petty   
jealousy and envy. If the argument had been with Phoebe, it would   
have been more understandable. Phoebe was the "baby" of the family.  
  
But the argument had been between Prue and Piper. That made it   
even more ridiculous. Piper was the peacekeeper in the family. Piper   
was the one who usually kept things from getting out of hand.  
  
Prue decided to put things right between them. It didn't'   
really matter who was right or wrong. They were sisters. Nothing   
should come between that.  
  
Sitting at a red light waiting for it to change, Prue noticed a   
young woman walking down the street. It seemed kind of late for a   
lone woman to be walking alone by herself. Probably on her way home   
from work, decided Prue. The woman walked along the sidewalk near the   
street lamps. Careful to make sure she was in darkness as little as   
possible. Avery careful woman, thought Prue.  
  
Then Prue noticed the man. Even after the light changed, Prue   
sat and watched him. He seemed to be watching the woman. And he   
seemed to be careful to stay within the shadows where he would be less   
likely to be seen.  
  
A mugger, thought Prue. Someone looking for an easy mark. And   
who thought he had found one in this young woman. An innocent who was   
in need of help.  
  
This would be easy. Prue would just give the woman a ride home,   
and the mugger would loose his target. An innocent saved and Prue   
wouldn't even have to use her power.  
  
That suddenly changed, literally in the blink of an eye. Just   
as Prue was bout to pull up to the woman to offer her a ride, the man   
vanished. He reappeared almost instantly several yards away; closer   
to the woman.  
  
Prue recognized what had happened. She had seen it before. The   
man had blinked. Which meant only one thing. He was a warlock. And   
that meant the woman could be a witch. And she could be a potential   
target for this warlock.  
  
Prue picked up her cell phone to call her sisters. She was only   
a few blocks from the manor. It wouldn't take them more than a few   
minutes to get there.  
  
Suddenly the warlock blinked again. He was only a few feet   
behind the woman. Prue dropped the phone in the seat next to her.   
There wasn't time to fall for backup. She'd have to handle this   
herself.  
  
Prue pulled the car into an alley near the woman. She got out   
of the car and walked to the end of the alley. Standing in the   
shadows, no one would know she was there. She waited as the woman   
passed the alley, and then kept walking.  
  
Suddenly the warlock blinked into the alley next to Prue. He   
stood watching the woman with his back to Prue, oblivious that he   
wasn't alone. He raised his hand toward the woman.  
  
Not knowing what he had planned, Prue didn't wait to find out.   
She reached out with her telekinetic ability and threw the warlock   
down the alley. He rolled to his feet, and then turned to face her.  
  
"Witch," he hissed at her.  
  
"Care to face someone who's ready for you?" asked Prue.  
  
She used her power again and threw him to the ground. As he   
rolled, he reached out and cast an energy ball at her. She barely   
dodged the attack, barely being missed by the energy ball.  
  
He was more powerful than she had first assumed. And the attack   
had been too close. The only reason he had missed was because he had   
been off balance. She needed to gain an advantage over him.  
  
And she knew just how to do it. She'd astral project behind   
him. A good swift kick from behind would keep him off balance. The   
she'd just return to her body. A couple of times doing that, along   
with her telekinetic ability, and he'd think he was surrounded.  
  
She stepped behind a dumpster next to her. Her body would be   
safe there as she projected. She closed her eyes and concentrated.   
She felt the projection begin to take effect. It would only take a   
split second to leave her body.  
  
Just as she felt herself begin to leave her body, the warlock   
attacked. An energy ball struck the wall of the building next to   
Prue. But instead of exploding, the weapon ricocheted off the wall,   
striking Prue with its' full force. Prue immediately lost   
consciousness. 


	2. Part 1 Chapter 2

TWO  
  
Prue opened her eyes and looked around. Everything seemed   
normal. Except the warlock was nowhere to be seen. She found this   
odd. Why hadn't he killed her and stolen her powers while she was   
unconscious?  
  
With the warlock gone, there was nothing to do but go home. She   
turned and walked to her car. Except that her car was also gone.   
Apparently stolen while she had battled the warlock. This was just   
great. Her cell phone was in the car. She decided to walk home and   
call the police to report her car stolen from there.  
  
Ten minutes later she stood in front of the manor. The house   
looked ready to collapse. Most of the windows were broken out or   
boarded over. The roof had collapsed at one part. Most of the paint   
had peeled away and the yard was completely overgrown with weeds.  
  
This was impossible. She looked at her watch. She had only   
been gone a little over ninety minutes. What could have happened in   
those ninety minutes to so completely demolish the manor like this?  
  
The inside of the manor was in worse shape than the outside.   
Most of the furniture was gone. What still remained in the house   
appeared old and rotten. Dust covered everything. It appeared that   
the manor hadn't been occupied for a very long time.  
  
Cautiously she made her way to the attic. She wasn't surprised   
at what she found. Or rather didn't find. The Book of Shadows was   
nowhere to be seen. Not even a faint impression in the dust where it   
had once lain could be found. This house had been abandoned for many   
years.  
  
"Leo," she called into the air.  
  
Whatever happened, Leo was still her White Lighter. He would   
come when she called for him. He always did. But nothing happened.   
She called him again, and still he didn't appear.  
  
Prue reached out with her telekinetic power to a chair that   
still sat in the attic. The chair slid across the room to the other   
side. Well, she still had her powers. Which also meant that nothing   
had happened to either Piper or Phoebe.  
  
So where were they? Why didn't Leo answer her call? Where was   
the Book of Shadows? And why did the manor look like it was   
condemned? She didn't have any of these answers.  
  
But she knew one person who might. Darryl might know what was   
going on. Moreover, he knew their secret that meant fewer   
explanations. At this point, she could think of no other options open   
to her.  
  
The cab to the police station took nearly all of what little   
money she had on her. As she walked into the police station,   
something seemed odd. She couldn't put her finger on exactly what it   
was, but she knew something didn't look right.  
  
She looked around and found the desk sergeant. She didn't know   
him, but then, she didn't know most of the cops. She walked up to the   
desk sergeant.  
  
"Excuse me," she said, "can you tell me if Inspector Morris is   
in right now? I need to speak with him right away. It's extremely   
important."  
  
"Who?" asked the desk sergeant.  
  
"Inspector Darryl Morris," repeated Prue.  
  
"I'm sorry, miss," said the sergeant, "we don't have an   
Inspector Morris at this precinct. Maybe he's with another precinct."  
  
"No," said Prue, "he works homicide out of this precinct. I   
visited him here just the other day."  
  
"Wait a minute," said the sergeant. "Darryl Morris. You don't   
mean Captain Morris, do you?"  
  
"Captain Morris?" questioned Prue.  
  
"Yes," said the sergeant. "As a matter of fact, Captain Morris   
is here right now. He's in with some detectives right now, but he   
should be out in a few minutes. If you'd care to wait, I'll let him   
know you're here."  
  
"Fine," said Prue. "I'll be over on the bench over there."  
  
Prue sat in the precinct for several minutes waiting for Darryl.   
Police officers passed through the lobby with their prisoners. Prue   
waited impatiently, wishing Darryl would hurry up.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" said an elderly man coming up to Prue.  
  
Prue looked up at him. He appeared to be in his mid-sixties.   
He was almost totally bald and what hair he did have was stark white.   
He was wearing glasses and deep lines crossed his face. Even   
considering all the changes, Prue instantly recognized Darryl. She   
was so stunned at his appearance she couldn't speak.  
  
"Prue Halliwell?" questioned Darryl. "My God, it is you."  
  
"Darryl, what happened to you?" asked Prue.  
  
"I got old," said Darryl. "Just like everyone does. Everyone   
except you, apparently."  
  
"Darryl, we need to talk," said Prue, glancing around.   
"Privately."  
  
"This way," said Darryl.  
  
He led her to an empty office. He closed the door behind them.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Prue. "I go out for a ride and when I   
get back, everything has changed."  
  
"Some ride," said Darryl. "You never came back. Your car was   
found abandoned a few blocks from the manor. No trace of you was ever   
found."  
  
"That's ridiculous," said Prue. "I was gone less than two   
hours. I got into a fight with a warlock and was only away from my   
car for a few minutes. How could it be considered abandoned in just a   
few minutes?"  
  
"Your car sat in an alley for over a week before it was towed,"   
said Darryl. "We searched everywhere for you. You just seemed to   
have vanished off the face of the earth."  
  
"This isn't making any sense," said Prue. She looked at her   
watch. "About three hours ago, Piper and I had an argument. I   
decided to take a ride to cool off. When I got back, everything seems   
to have changed."  
  
"Three hours?" questioned Darryl. He picked up a newspaper from   
the desk and handed it to Prue. "Prue, you've been gone more than   
three hours. You vanished without a trace twenty-eight years ago."  
  
Prue read the date on the paper in almost total disbelief. The   
date on the paper read November 29, 2028. 


	3. Part 1 Chapter 3

THREE  
  
"That's one hell of a story," said Darryl, after Prue had filled   
him in on what had happened to here. "I'm not sure if I believe it or   
not. It's been a very long time since I've had to deal with anything   
or anyone magical."  
  
"It's all true, believe me," said Prue. "It's as much a shock   
to me as it is to you. The only thing I can figure is that the energy   
ball the warlock used somehow pushed me forward in time."  
  
"That would explain why you haven't aged any," said Darryl.   
"And why we weren't able to find even a trace of you back then."  
  
"So, you're a captain now," said Prue, afraid to broach what was   
really on her mind. Her sisters.  
  
"Retired," corrected Darryl. "I retired about five years ago.   
My wife died a year later. But I still keep my hand in police work.   
I'm a consultant on a lot of cases."  
  
"That's good," said Prue. "Sorry to hear about your wife."  
  
"I've accepted it," said Darryl. "It was a long time ago. And   
we had many good years together. You haven't asked about Piper or   
Phoebe?"  
  
"I was kind of afraid to," said Prue. "After all these years,   
I'm not sure they're even still alive."  
  
"Well, I know Phoebe is," said Darryl. "She works as a maid at   
one of the nearby hotels. I saw her a couple of weeks ago."  
  
"What about Piper?" asked Prue.  
  
"I don't know," said Darryl. "She took your disappearance   
especially hard. After they moved out of the manor I lost touch with   
her. I haven't seen her in about fifteen years."  
  
"Do you remember Leo Wyatt?" asked Prue.  
  
"Yeah, I think so," said Darryl. "He stopped coming around   
after you disappeared. I have no idea what happened to him."  
  
"Darryl, I need to see Phoebe," said Prue. "Can you take me to   
her?"  
  
"Sure," said Darryl. "I'm consulting on a serial killer case   
right now, but I've done all I can do for tonight. I'll give you a   
ride to where she works. If we hurry, we can get there before she   
gets off."  
  
"What's this case you're working on?" asked Prue as they rode to   
the hotel where Phoebe was working.  
  
"A serial killer," said Darryl. "He's murdered two women, then   
he butchered them. But it should be over now. We're pretty sure we   
have the guy who did it in custody now."  
  
"That's horrible," said Prue.  
  
"Well, we have enough circumstantial evidence on the guy to take   
him to trial," said Darryl. "We should be able to put him away for   
the rest of his life. He preyed on prostitutes. I guess he figured   
no one would care if someone murdered prostitutes."  
  
"No one deserves what he did to them," said Prue. "No matter   
who they are."  
  
"He won't do it again," said Darryl. "He's being held in   
maximum security. We aren't taking any chances with him. He's not   
getting out of there."  
  
"You know," said Prue, "that sounds familiar. I know I've heard   
of a similar case just like it. I can't quite remember where,   
though."  
  
"That's not surprising," said Darryl. "Before you disappeared   
we had a case . . . oh, here we are."  
  
Darryl pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. Most of the   
rooms were dark, but several had lights on in them. Prue looked   
around. The parking lot was mostly deserted, except for a few cars   
scattered around the lot. Darryl pulled into one of the parking   
stalls in front of the office.  
  
"Come on," he said. "She's probably in the office getting ready   
to clock out."  
  
They walked into the lobby of the hotel. Darryl walked up to   
the counter while Prue stood nervously near the front door. A young   
woman smiled at Darryl and asked if she could help him.  
  
'Yes," said Darryl. "Can you tell me if Phoebe is still here?"  
  
"Yes," said the woman. "She's in the back right now. She   
should be out in a minute."  
  
"We'll wait for her," said Darryl.  
  
After several minutes, and older woman came out of the back   
office. She was wearing a maids' uniform. She seemed to be rummaging   
through her purse for something.  
  
The woman looked to be in her mid-fifties. Her once brown hair   
was now almost totally gray. She was wearing glasses and lines   
crossed her face. And even with the addition of about thirty pounds,   
Prue had no trouble recognizing her "baby" sister. Phoebe looked up   
and saw Darryl standing by the counter.  
  
"Hey, Darryl, what's up?" asked Phoebe.  
  
She glanced momentarily at Prue, and then took a second look.   
For a moment nothing happened. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened in   
recognition of her eldest sister.  
  
"Prue?" she squealed. "Prue!"  
  
Phoebe's purse fell to the floor as she raced to embrace her   
sister. Both were beginning to cry as Darryl just watched, smiling.  
  
"Hello, baby sister," said Prue through her tears.  
  
"Baby sister?" questioned the counter girl.  
  
"Oh, uh, private family joke," said Darryl.  
  
"Oh," said the girl.  
  
After Prue and Phoebe had finally composed themselves, Darryl   
said he needed to be going. He knew the two had a great deal to talk   
about. He also knew most of it didn't involve him.  
  
"Phoebes' apartment was a small, one bedroom only a few blocks   
from the hotel. It seemed very cramped after the spaciousness of the   
manor. Phoebes' sofa rolled out into a bed and she said Prue could   
stay with her as long as she needed.  
  
"It seems we've traded places," commented Prue.  
  
"Thirty years can change a person," said Phoebe. "Look at me.   
I used to hate to even make my own bed in the morning. Now, I'm   
cleaning rooms after people.  
  
"What happened, Prue? Where did you go? And how come you don't   
look any older now than you did the night you left?"  
  
"I didn't exactly leave," said Prue, taking a deep breath. "I   
ran into a little trouble with a warlock when I was heading home that   
night." 


	4. Part 1 Chapter 4

FOUR  
  
"That's quite a story," said Phoebe, after Prue had finished   
explaining what had happened. "It's been some years since we . . .   
since I had any contact with the supernatural. Without you, the   
demons seemed to consider us less of a threat. No Power of Three."  
  
"The Power of Three was always the greatest threat," said Prue.   
"Without all three of us, the demons had no need to worry about it."  
  
"I haven't even had a premonition in years," said Phoebe. "I   
guess with no reason to use it, I just sort of lost it."  
  
"You still have it," said Prue. "It's part of who you are."  
  
"Maybe," said Phoebe. "All I know is I don't get premonitions   
anymore."  
  
"I noticed you don't have a wedding ring on," said Prue.  
  
"Oh, I did at one time," said Phoebe. "In fact, I've had three   
different ones. Things just never seemed to work out, though. Guess   
I'm following in grams' footsteps."  
  
"No kids?" asked Prue.  
  
"No," said Phoebe. "There just never seemed to be the right   
time for them. In some ways, I'm glad. I've never had to worry about   
them having to face demons or warlocks like we used to."  
  
"Phoebe," said Prue hesitantly, "what about Piper? Darryl   
didn't know anything about her. He doesn't even know if she's alive   
or dead."  
  
"Oh, she's alive," said Phoebe. "I see her from time to time.   
But it's probably not a good idea for you to see her."  
  
"Why not?" asked Prue.  
  
"Prue, she hates you," said Phoebe. "She feels that you   
abandoned us, just like dad did. We knew you were still alive because   
we still had our powers. But she thinks that, after that argument,   
you just left. She wants nothing to do with you."  
  
"I have to see her," said Prue. "I have to explain what   
happened. That I didn't walk out like she thinks I did."  
  
"It won't do any good," said Phoebe. "Piper's had it even   
rougher than I have. She's been divorced four times. And she has a   
seventeen-year-old daughter named Heather. Heather thinks we're a bit   
crazy when we talk about the Charmed Ones and fighting demons and   
all."  
  
"So, she has no powers?" asked Prue.  
  
"No," said Phoebe. "And no interest in the Craft at all. But   
then, neither did we at that age."  
  
"That's because grams bound our powers," said Prue. "But I   
still have to see Piper. Try to explain to her what happened."  
  
"Do you remember how you reacted when dad came back into our   
lives the first time?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"Yes," said Prue.  
  
"That was kind compared to how Piper talks about you," said   
Phoebe. "When she talks about you at all. It's usually a forbidden   
subject."  
  
"I know how she must feel," said Prue. "But I have to at least   
try. Phoebe, you have to take me to her."  
  
Phoebe thought for a minute. They were both her sisters and she   
loved them dearly. She knew it wouldn't do any good, but if there was   
even the slightest chance they could work things out, she had to take   
that chance.  
  
"Come on," said Phoebe finally. "I know where she works. She   
usually works the night shift and it won't be very crowded this time   
of night."  
  
As they drove in silence to where Piper worked, Prue couldn't   
help but wonder at the turn of events. Evidently, Phoebe had never   
finished college. While her life seemed content and peaceful, it was   
far from what Prue had imagined for Phoebe.  
  
Pipers' work place turned out to be one of those chain   
restaurants. The kind that had places in most major cities and served   
assembly line type meals. The kind that Piper had always detested as   
a professional chef.  
  
Now, she was working as a cook in this place. A place she   
wouldn't' have set foot in when she was younger. And a cook, not a   
chef. It must be totally embarrassing for her.  
  
Prue waited outside while Phoebe went in to get Piper. If there   
was going to be a scene, neither of them wanted to get Piper in   
trouble over Prue being there. After a few minutes, Phoebe came   
outside with Piper in tow.  
  
"What's so important that you have to drag me away from . . .?"   
Piper was protesting as they came out the door.  
  
Piper saw Prue and just stopped. She stared at Prue long and   
hard.  
  
Older, grayer, and a little heavier, Prue had no trouble   
recognizing Piper. The years had not been kind to Piper. She   
reminded Prue of the matrons she had seen in old prison movies. As   
hard and as unforgiving as the stone the prisons were constructed   
from.  
  
"You've got some nerve," Piper spat out vehemently.  
  
"Piper, please," pleaded Prue, "just give me a chance to   
explain."  
  
"Explain what?" Piper shot back. "How you abandoned us just   
like dad did? How you just walked out on us without a word, without   
even an explanation?"  
  
"It wasn't like that," protested Prue.  
  
"I'm sure you believe that," returned Piper. "After nearly   
thirty years I'm sure you've convinced yourself it was necessary."  
  
"Piper, I think you should listen to her," said Phoebe.  
  
"Like hell I will," said Piper. "If you want to listen to her,   
that's your choice. To me, she's just a backstabbing bitch who runs   
out on her family when things get rough."  
  
"Piper, please, you're my sister," pleaded Prue. "Just give me   
five minutes to tell you what really happened."  
  
"I only have one sister," said Piper. "My older sister died   
twenty-eight years ago. I have nothing to say to you and whatever you   
have to say if of no interest to me."  
  
Piper turned to go back inside the building.  
  
"Piper, please," pleaded Prue, on the verge of tears.  
  
"You're dead to me,' said Piper without turning. "Don't ever   
come back here. You're not welcome in my life anymore."  
  
Piper went back into the building without saying another word or   
without waiting for a response. Prue could do nothing but watch as   
Piper walked away. She couldn't think of anything to say to her   
sister.  
  
She knew that Piper had always had a temper. But this was   
unlike even her. The hatred and bitterness was undisguised in her   
voice. The Piper that Prue had known and loved was gone. This Piper   
was a complete stranger to her. 


	5. Part 1 Chapter 5

FIVE  
  
The drive back to Phoebe's apartment was a quiet one. Neither   
of the sisters spoke. Prue, because of what Piper had said. And   
Phoebe, because she had no idea how to comfort her sister.  
  
Prue understood why Piper felt as she did. Prue still felt very   
much the same way about their father. But that didn't make it hurt   
any less.  
  
She spent a restless night on the sofa bed. It was comfortable   
enough. But her encounter with Piper had left her unsettled. The   
next morning, Phoebe found some clothes that were a little big on   
Prue, but at least she had some clean clothes to wear.  
  
"You've become a good cook," said Prue as she and Phoebe ate   
breakfast.  
  
"Well, since I didn't have," began Phoebe, "I mean, after I got   
married, I sort of had to learn."  
  
"Whatever happened to Leo?" asked Prue. "When I first got here,   
I called for him but he didn't answer."  
  
"He was reassigned," said Phoebe. "After you disappeared, he   
said he couldn't' stay. He was the White Lighter for the Charmed Ones   
and since there weren't any Charmed Ones any more, he was given new   
charges."  
  
"I guess that make sense," said Prue. "And what about the Book   
of Shadows? It wasn't at the manor. What's left of the manor,   
anyway."  
  
"I don't know," said Phoebe. "When Piper and I moved out of the   
manor on our own, it just vanished. I guess it's being safeguarded   
for someone else.  
  
"After you disappeared, Piper spent every waking minute looking   
for you. P3 eventually went belly up and, of course, I didn't have a   
job so I couldn't help out with the expenses. It finally got to the   
point where we just couldn't afford to keep the manor any longer.   
That's when we moved out on our own. That's also about the time Leo   
was reassigned."  
  
"I guess it's been hard for you," said Prue.  
  
"At least the demons stopped coming after us," said Phoebe.   
"So, what do you plan to do now?"  
  
"I don't know," said Prue. "I guess I should look for work. I   
can't expect you to support me for the rest of my life."  
  
"As I recall," said Phoebe, "you helped me out when I first came   
back from New York. I guess now I get to repay you for that."  
  
"I still need to get a job," said Prue. "Only, my resume is   
twenty-eight years out of date."  
  
"I'll help you any way I can," said Phoebe. "And I'm sure   
Darryl will help, too. For now, why don't you watch some television?   
Things have changed quite a bit in the last three decades. You need   
to get caught up to speed on the changes."  
  
"That's not a bad idea," said Prue. "I don't even know who the   
President of the United States is."  
  
"Allen Jennings," replied Phoebe. "I'm sure you'll learn about   
him. He's in the news almost every day."  
  
Prue sat watching television for several hours. A great deal   
had changed in the past thirty years. More than she would have   
believed. It would take her quite a while to become familiar with all   
the changes.  
  
Phoebe was getting ready for work when Prue suddenly called to   
her. She walked into the living room to see Prue pointing at the   
television. On the screen was a young man of perhaps thirty walking   
out of a local police station, smiling from ear to ear.  
  
"Richard James was released today," Phoebe heard a female   
reporter off camera saying, "after another brutal murder occurred last   
night. James was the prime suspect in the series of murders of local   
prostitutes. He was being held for questioning. With the murder of a   
third prostitute while James was in custody, the police were forced to   
release him."  
  
"Phoebe, that's him," said Prue excitedly.  
  
"Who?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"The warlock," said Prue. "The one I was fighting when I got   
zapped to the future. That's him."  
  
"Prue, that impossible," said Phoebe. "He's no older than you   
are. If it was the same man, he would have been only a baby back   
then."  
  
"Phoebe, I'm telling you it's the same guy," said Prue. "Maybe   
he got pulled to the future the same way I did, I don't know. But I   
do know that's the same guy. And he's a warlock."  
  
"If that's true," said Phoebe, "the police may have just   
released a murderer. He could have blinked out of the jail, killed   
the woman, and blinked back in all without them knowing anything about   
it."  
  
"And there's no telling ho many more he'll kill," said Prue.   
"If he's killing innocents, he has a reason. He's killed at least   
three already. There's no telling how many more he's going after   
before he's finished. If he ever is finished."  
  
"You're not thinking of going after him alone, are you?"   
questioned Phoebe.  
  
"He's got to be stopped," said Prue. "No one else knows who or   
what he is. And I doubt they'd believe it if we told anyone. As far   
as the police are concerned, he's just been cleared of any suspicion.   
I'm the only one who can stop him."  
  
"You said he almost beat you before," said Phoebe. "If he's   
that powerful, you'll need the Power of Three to stop him. And Piper   
won't even talk to you."  
  
"Then I'll just have to get her to talk to me," said Prue. "Or   
find some other way to defeat him. It can't be a coincidence that I   
was brought to this time. When I'm the only one who knows what's   
going on. I'm meant to stop him, I'm sure of it."  
  
"You're going to need help," said Phoebe.  
  
"No offense," said Prue, "but you're a little old to be fighting   
demons and warlocks."  
  
"Maybe," said Phoebe, "but I can do other things. Besides, you   
need me for the Power of Three. I may be old, but I'm still a Charmed   
One. I'll call in sick. I could use a couple of days off anyway.   
Now, let's got get us a warlock."  
  
To be continued . . .  
  
Be sure not to miss Part 2: Reconciliation. Prue and Piper   
enlist Darryl's help in tracking down the warlock. And discover   
something far worse. Realizing they need the Power of Three, Prue   
decides she must finally confront Piper and try to get things out into   
the open.  
  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"   
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also   
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


	6. Part 2 Chapter 1

CHARMED  
"AN ALTERNATE DESTINY"  
by J. B. Tilton  
email: aramath@isot.com  
Rating: PG (for mild language)  
  
PART 2: RECONCILIATION  
  
Prue and Piper enlist Darryl's help in tracking down the   
warlock. And discovers something far worse. Realizing they need the   
Power of Three, Prue decides she must finally confront Piper and try   
to get things out into the open.  
  
* * *  
  
ONE  
  
The first step for Prue and Phoebe was simple. Learn as much as   
possible about this warlock. The Book of Shadows could have been   
invaluable to them. But neither of them had any idea where it might   
be. Leo probably knew but he, too, was nowhere to be found.  
  
They both agreed this was no ordinary warlock. Warlock usually   
went after witches. To steal their powers. This one seemed less   
interested in witches than he was in innocents.  
  
"There has to be a reason for it," said Prue. "Why innocents?   
And why prostitutes?"  
  
"Well," said Phoebe, "prostitutes are easy to find. And the   
police aren't as likely to be as concerned if one disappears or is   
murdered as they are with someone else. It's sad, but that's the way   
things are."  
  
"That makes sense," said Prue. "But why these particular   
prostitutes? Were they just random or is there something special   
about them?"  
  
"The news doesn't say," said Phoebe. "All the police are saying   
is that someone is stalking prostitutes."  
  
'Wait a minute," said Prue. "Darryl told me he was consulting   
on this case. Maybe he knows something they haven't released to the   
public. The police do that sometimes. Hold back some key piece of   
information to weed out the cranks. It can't hurt to ask him."  
  
"That's a good idea," said Phoebe. "I think I have his address   
around here somewhere. We'll go over and see if he can tell us   
anything. What about Piper? What are you going to do about her?"  
  
"I don't know," said Prue. "I can understand how she feels.   
But I have to worry about her later. Right now there's an innocent in   
danger and that has to take precedence."  
  
"You haven't changed a bit," said Phoebe.  
  
"Well, for me," said Prue, "It's only been a few hours, not   
twenty-eight years."  
  
Phoebe found Darryl's address and together they drove to his   
place. It turned out to be only a few blocks form the manor. As they   
drove past the manor, Prue saw just how rundown it really was. Darryl   
was home and invited them in.  
  
"It's still kind of strange," said Darryl, "seeing you as young   
as you are. Especially when everyone else has gotten so much older."  
  
"Not everyone," said Prue. "That warlock I told you about?   
He's your serial killer, Richard James."  
  
"That's impossible," said Darryl. "Another prostitute was   
murdered last night. While he was in custody. It couldn't' be him.   
We know for a fact that the serial killer works alone. So it couldn't   
be him."  
  
"I know," said Prue. "But as a warlock he can blink. It's a   
kind of teleportation. It would be simple for him to get out of the   
cell, murder the girl, and get back inside without getting caught.   
And it would give him an airtight alibi for the murders."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Darryl. "Is there any doubt that he's the   
same guy you fought twenty-eight years ago?"  
  
"No doubt whatsoever," said Prue. "I got a very good look at   
him while we were fighting. I don't know why he hasn't aged like   
everyone else, but I know it's the same guy."  
  
"Okay," said Darryl, "so why is he targeting prostitutes? I   
remember you once told me that warlocks are more interested in   
stealing a witch's power. Why didn't he kill you and take your powers   
when you fought him before?"  
  
"We don't know," said Phoebe. "That's why we've come to you.   
Besides prostitutes, is there anything else these women has in   
common?"  
  
"They're all female, of course," said Darryl. "All are under   
the age of 35, but that describes most of the prostitutes in San   
Francisco. Each was savagely murdered and then their bodies were   
brutally mutilated. Each attack seems to be worse than the last one."  
  
"I remember you telling me that," said Prue. I also know I've   
heard of this before. I just can't remember where."  
  
"I know," said Darryl. "You mentioned that when I took you to   
see Phoebe. It's probably from before."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Prue.  
  
"The same thing happened the year you disappeared," said Darryl.   
"Five women were brutally murdered and then butchered right here in   
San Francisco. That's why I'm consulting on this case. I handled   
that one. It appears to be an exact copy cat of the first case."  
  
"Did you ever catch the guy back then?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"No," said Darryl. "The killings stopped as suddenly as they   
started. The killer just kind of vanished."  
  
"Darryl," said Prue thoughtfully, "can you get me some   
information?"  
  
"Depends on what kind of information you're looking for," said   
Darryl. "What are you after?"  
  
"I'd like to know if there have been any similar serial murders   
in the past," said Prue. "Not jus here in San Francisco, but anywhere   
in the United States."  
  
"That's easy," said Darryl standing up. "My computer is still   
linked to the one at the station. And they're linked to a central   
computer that compiles statistics nationwide. I should have that   
information for you in a few minutes."  
  
A check of the database revealed eighty-three similar serial   
murders. Murders where the victims were mutilated after death. They   
dotted the United States like the spots on a leopard.  
  
"Let's narrow the search," said Prue. "Let's say, murders where   
the killer was never caught. And where the killings stopped as   
suddenly as they began."  
  
Narrowing the search brought the number down to twenty-seven.   
They narrowed it even further by concentrating only on cases where the   
victims were prostitutes. This brought the number down to fifteen.  
  
"Can we narrow the search any further?" asked Prue.  
  
"Not without more information," said Darryl. "That's about as   
narrow as we can get it right now."  
  
"No it's not," said Phoebe. "See if any of them were committed   
equal number of years apart. If there is a frequency to the   
patterns."  
  
Darryl entered the information and waited for the computer to   
correlate the data. Within seconds it displayed only four entries.  
  
Let's see what we have," said Darryl. "In 2005, five   
prostitutes were murdered then mutilated here in San Francisco. I   
told you abut that one. Before that, there was an identical set of   
murders in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1972. Before that, in 1944, the same   
thing happened in St. Louis, Missouri. And before that, it was New   
York City in 1916. Each involved the murder and post mortem   
mutilation of five prostitutes and each was twenty-eight years after   
the previous one."  
  
"Those locations," said Phoebe, "they're almost a straight line   
across the United States. Almost as if someone was making his or her   
way across the country killing prostitutes along the way. Every   
twenty-eight years, of course."  
  
"There's more than that," said Prue. "I remember now where I've   
heard of these kinds of serial killings before. Darryl, you said the   
first one was in New York City in 1916. 1916 minus twenty-eight years   
is 1888."  
  
"That date sounds familiar for some reason," said Darryl.  
  
"It should," said Prue. "Nearly identical murders occurred that   
year in London. They became internationally famous.  
  
"Five women, all prostitutes, were savagely murdered, and then   
mutilated. Just like those other cases. And while they never did   
catch the killer, he was given a name.  
  
"Jack the Ripper." 


	7. Part 2 Chapter 2

TWO  
  
"Wait a minutes, Prue," said Darryl. "Are you trying to tell us   
that Jack the Ripper is alive and killing women in San Francisco one   
hundred forty years after he did the same thing in London, England?   
That's just crazy."  
  
"As crazy as my being thirty years old in 2028?" asked Prue.   
"Darryl, I know it's been a long time, but you must remember what   
magic is capable of. I'm sure Phoebe remembers."  
  
"Yeah, I do," said Phoebe uneasily.  
  
"Okay," said Darryl. "Let's assume I buy this. Let's assume   
that what you're suggesting is right. How does that help us?"  
  
"We need as much information on those cases as we can get," said   
Prue. "How they were killed, when, what the mutilations were,   
everything. There's a reason he's doing this. We need to figure out   
what that reason is."  
  
"Maybe he just likes to kill," suggested Phoebe.  
  
"I don't think that's it," said Darryl. "Serial killers have a   
pattern, even if we don't immediately recognize it. Something about   
their victims that sets them off. They might remind the killer of an   
abusive mother or a girlfriend who jilted them or something. And they   
don't wait twenty-eight years between murders."  
  
"Prue," said Phoebe, "we assumed this warlock was brought ahead   
in time, just as you were. What if he wasn't? What if he's been   
living in San Francisco all this time?"  
  
"I don't follow," said Prue.  
  
"Do you remember Javna?" asked Phoebe. "The demon that stole   
young women's life essence to keep himself young? Maybe that's what   
we have here. A warlock who needs vital organs or blood or something   
to keep himself young. That would explain the twenty-eight year gap   
in the murders."  
  
"That makes sense," said Prue. "The mutilations could just be a   
cover to hide what he's really doing."  
  
"And picking prostitutes," said Darryl, "could be his way of   
staying low. The police wouldn't connect the murders right away. By   
the time they did, he'd have his five victims and it would all be over   
for another twenty-eight years. And we'd believe we were looking for   
a copycat instead of the original killer.  
  
"That makes as much sense as anything else we've come up with in   
this case. But how do I report this to the detectives investigating   
the case? If I tell them it's Jack the Ripper and a warlock, they'll   
lock me up."  
  
"A copycat," said Phoebe, "just like you suggested. Just tell   
them that someone is copying the Jack the Ripper murders. That makes   
sense, doesn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, it does," said Darryl. "And it just might work. It   
wouldn't be the first time we had a copycat killer. I'll see what   
information I can get on the killings."  
  
"Okay," said Prue. "I wish we had the Book of Shadows.   
Something tells me this is no ordinary warlock. There might be   
something in the book that could help us."  
  
"Prue," said Phoebe, "we're going to need Pipers' help on this.   
If this warlock is as strong as you said he was twenty-eight years   
ago, he could be even more powerful now. We're going to need Pipers'   
power to face him."  
  
"I know," said Prue. "I'll have to try to talk to her again.   
In the mean time, we're going to need a spell to use against him.   
Maybe something to keep him from blinking or to freeze his power or   
something."  
  
"I haven't written a spell in over twenty years," protested   
Phoebe. "Maybe you should do it."  
  
"You were always the best at writing spells," said Prue. "You   
can do it. It's like riding a bicycle. You never forget."  
  
"Well, since he's a warlock," said Phoebe, "it won't need to be   
a Power of Three spell at least. I'll see what I can come up with."  
  
"I have what you're looking for," said Darryl. "It seems there   
were always five victims, all prostitutes. Each was murdered using   
some kind of edged weapon, probably a knife or similar weapon.  
  
"Each then had certain organs removed, post mortem. They   
weren't all the same organs, but each set of murders followed the same   
pattern. Whoever the murderer was, he had at least some surgical   
skill. The organs were all removed with the skill of a surgeon.   
After the fifth victim, the murders just stopped as suddenly as they   
began. The murderers were never caught.  
  
"And all the murders occurred over a three month period, usually   
between September and November. On two occasions, the first murder   
occurred on August 31st, just like the original Jack the Ripper   
murders. That means he only has two more victims to get this time   
around. And the three-month time frame is almost over. There's less   
than two weeks left."  
  
"Then we have to hurry," said Prue. "Darryl, we need as much   
information on Richard James as we can get. Where he lives, where he   
works, that sort of thing."  
  
"We already have that," said Darryl. "We weren't able to find   
out anything on the man. No social security card, no driver's   
license, not even school records. It's like he just suddenly appeared   
one day."  
  
"Isn't that suspicious?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"Suspicious, yes," said Darryl, "but hardly illegal. You can't   
arrest a man for having nor drivers license. A man without a past is   
usually hiding something, but unless you can prove it, there's nothing   
the police can do about it."  
  
"What does he do for those twenty-eight years between murders?"   
asked Prue. "How does he live?"  
  
"I don't know," said Darryl. "All I do know is we only have   
nine days left in this three month time frame. If we don't get him,   
he could disappear for another twenty-eight years. Assuming you're   
right about all this."  
  
"I know I'm right," said Prue. "Everything points to it.   
Phoebe, get started on the spell. Darryl, I assume you're going to   
let the police know what we've come up with here."  
  
"Part of it," said Darryl. "I think I'll leave out the parts   
about our suspect being Jack the Ripper and a warlock."  
  
"Good idea," said Prue. "Get me a list of the places where the   
attacks occurred. Maybe there's something at one of the sites the   
police might have overlooked. They're looking for a mortal killer,   
after all. They might not recognize a mystical clue."  
  
"You won't be able to get near the latest one," said Darryl,   
handing her a piece of paper. "It's still a crime scene. The other   
two should be clear by now. Here are the addresses."  
  
"Good," said Prue. "After I check them out, I'm going to see   
Piper. She's at least going to listen to me even if she doesn't   
believe me or accept what I have to say. It's the only thing I can   
do."  
  
"I'll get you her home address," said Phoebe. "It would   
probably be best if you spoke to her there."  
  
"Prue waited as Phoebe wrote out Pipers' address. She honestly   
had no idea what she was going to say to Piper when she saw her again. 


	8. Part 2 Chapter 3

THREE  
  
Darryl had been right about the latest crime scene. It was   
swarming with police and forensic experts. Prue couldn't get any   
closer than the taped off areas. The previous two crime scenes held   
nothing that gave her a clue to the warlock.  
  
And on the way over, the news reported some very disturbing   
news. Another ripper victim had been found. Apparently murdered the   
same night as victim number three, the body had only been discovered   
an hour ago.  
  
Now, Prue stood in front of Pipers' modest two-story house. It   
was nothing like the manor. On the outskirts of the city, it was   
obviously very old, but still in reasonably good shape.  
  
Prue still had no idea what she was going to say. Nervously,   
she rang the doorbell. After a few moments, the door opened and a   
young girl faced Prue.  
  
"There was no mistaking who this girl was. She looked just as   
Piper did at the same age. There could be no doubt this was Heather,   
Pipers' daughter.  
  
"Can I help you?" asked the girl.  
  
"You must be Heather," said Prue.  
  
"Yes," said the girl. "Do I know you? You kind of look   
familiar."  
  
"You've probably seen pictures of me," said Prue. "I'm your   
Aunt Prue."  
  
"That's impossible," said Heather. "Prue disappeared almost   
thirty years ago. You're obviously not old enough to be her."  
  
"That's kind of a long story," said Prue. "May I come in? I'd   
like to speak to your mother for a minute, if I could."  
  
"I suppose," said Heather. "She's upstairs right now. She   
should be down in a minute."  
  
The house was comfortable. Pictures covered the walls. Any   
pictures of Prue were conspicuously missing, however. But there were   
pictures of other people, probably friends of Pipers'.  
  
"Heather, who was that at the door?" asked Piper, coming down   
the stairs. Here voice trailed off when she saw Prue.  
  
"We have to talk, Piper," said Prue. "It's important."  
  
"I told you never to come back here," spat out Piper. "You're   
dead to this family. Now, get out of my house."  
  
"Mom," said Heather, "she says she Aunt Prue. But she can't be.   
Aunt Prue was older than you."  
  
"It doesn't matter," said Piper. "She's leaving and that's   
that."  
  
"This isn't about us anymore," said Prue. "There's an innocent   
in danger who needs our help."  
  
"I don't do that anymore," said Piper, picking up the phone.   
"If you won't leave on your own, I'll just have the police do it."  
  
Prue waved her arm and the phone was torn from Pipers' hand. It   
slid across the table out of Pipers' reach. Heather just watched in   
amazement.  
  
"No," said Prue angrily. "Damn it, Piper, you're going to   
listen to me."  
  
"Whoa," said Heather. "How did you do that?"  
  
"I'm a witch," said Prue, not taking her eyes off Piper. "Just   
like your mother and just like your Aunt Phoebe. We're the Charmed   
Ones."  
  
"Not anymore," screamed Piper, anger in her voice. "We haven't   
been the Charmed Ones since you abandoned us twenty-eight years ago.   
Just like dad did when we were kids."  
  
"I didn't abandon you," said Prue. "Do you think I could   
actually do that? After what dad did to us?"  
  
"You just disappeared," said Piper. "Phoebe and I still had our   
powers, so we knew you were still alive. What other explanation could   
there possibly be?"  
  
"A warlock," said Prue. "I got into a fight with a warlock and   
somehow got pushed ahead in time. To now. I only arrived here   
yesterday."  
  
"I don't believe you," snapped Piper.  
  
"Look at me, Piper," said Prue. "I haven't aged. I'm the same   
age I was that night we had our argument. You know we can move   
through time using magic. We did it when we brought Melinda with us   
to fight Tate. And there was that warlock who came back just after we   
received our powers. The first one we ever faced.  
  
"And what about the time we all three went ten years into the   
future? When Phoebe was burned for being a witch. You know it's   
possible. You know what magic can do."  
  
"Yes, I do," said Piper. "For all I know, you've used a spell   
to make yourself young again. Hell, you might even have become a   
warlock for all I know."  
  
"Neither of those has happened," said Prue. "If I had turned   
evil and become a warlock, you'd have known it. Do you honestly think   
I would be capable of abandoning you?? Knowing how I feel about dad   
doing it to us? I could never do that, Piper. Especially not to you.   
You were old enough to remember and understand."  
  
"Mom, if this is true," started Heather.  
  
"Stay out of this, Heather," said Piper. "This doesn't concern   
you. This is between Prue and me."  
  
"No, I won't stay out of it," said Heather, turning to face her   
mother. "If this really is Aunt Prue, then she's my family, too. I   
have a right to know her. No one, not even you, has the right to take   
that away from me. If she really is Prue Halliwell, then it does most   
certainly involve me."  
  
"You're very much like your mother," said Prue to Heather.  
  
"Mom always taught me to think for myself," said Heather. "To   
not just take things at face value." She turned to face Piper again.   
"You said Prue just disappeared after the two of you had an argument.   
Now, she shows up with an explanation. And from as young as she   
looks, that explanation would seem to be a reasonable one. Assuming   
everything you've ever told me about magic is true. Tell me, mother.   
Is her explanation totally unbelievable?  
  
"I've always scoffed at the stories you and Aunt Phoebe used to   
tell me. Stories about demons and magic and the Charmed Ones. Now,   
I'm not so sure anymore. Aunt Prue, if that's who she is, shows up   
showing me it is all apparently true. So you tell me, mom. Is what   
she saying possible or not?"  
  
Piper looked at Heather, then at Prue. She knew it was very   
possible. They had all seen what magic could do.  
  
"It's possible," said Piper weakly. "It just seems a bit too   
convenient, that's all."  
  
"Convenient for whom?" asked Prue. "I'm twenty-eight years out   
of time. I have almost no idea what's going on in the world. I've   
missed out on half of yours and Phoebes' lives. I have a nearly full-  
grown niece that I now virtually nothing about. Not to mention that   
all of my friends are either twice my age or they're dead.   
Personally, I find it damned inconvenient."  
  
"Mom," said Heather, "I know I don't know Aunt Prue as well as   
you do. In fact, I don't know her at all. But if what you told me   
about being a Charmed One is true, it seems what she's saying could be   
true.  
  
"You told me how much she hated granddad for abandoning you as   
children. Do you honestly think it was possible for her to do what he   
did? Knowing how she felt about it?"  
  
"You really didn't run out on us?" asked Piper, her eyes   
beginning to tear.  
  
"Piper, honey," said Prue, "I could never do that. Especially   
not to you. Dad left, mom died, then grams passed. You, Phoebe, and   
I were all we had. I couldn't take that away. I'm not dad."  
  
"I've hated you for twenty-five years," said Piper, a tear   
running down her cheek. "I've hated you for running out on Phoebe and   
me and leaving us alone. Now, to think, I wasted all those years."  
  
"No," said Prue, taking her sister in her arms, "don't blame   
yourself. There's no way you had of knowing what happened. I would   
probably have thought the same thing if our roles had been reversed."  
  
The two sisters spent long moments in a very tearful reunion. 


	9. Part 2 Chapter 4

FOUR  
  
"Let me take a look at my niece," said Prue, after she and Piper   
had composed themselves. "You've become quite a woman, I see. And   
very much like your mother."  
  
"Not to mention her Aunt Prue," said Piper. "She has your force   
of will. And your stubbornness."  
  
"A Halliwell trait," said Prue. "Phoebe can be just as stubborn   
as either of us."  
  
"Then it's all true?" asked Heather. "The magic, fighting   
demons, all those stories I heard growing up. You really are the   
Charmed Ones?"  
  
"Very much so," said Prue.  
  
"Okay," said Heather, "if you're all witches, shouldn't I be a   
witch, too? Aunt Phoebe once told me that the trait is passed down   
through the females in the line. Why don't I have any powers like you   
do?"  
  
"Because I bound your powers when you were little," said Piper.   
"I didn't want you to have to fight demons like we did."  
  
"Grams did the same thing to us," said Prue.  
  
"I guess I can understand that," said Heather. "I guess if I   
was in your place, I would have done the same thing. Still, it might   
be nice to be able to do some of the things you used to do when you   
were younger."  
  
"Well," said Prue to Piper, "she's old enough now. What about   
an unbinding potion? She has the right to make the choice for   
herself."  
  
Piper walked over to a cabinet in the living room. She removed   
a small vial, and then returned to her seat.  
  
"I always believed this day would come," said Piper. "This is   
an unbinding potion, Heather. All you have to do is drink it. Your   
powers should begin to manifest themselves almost immediately."  
  
She handed the vial to Heather.  
  
"I can tell you what one of your powers will be," said Piper.   
"When you were five, you started moving things with your mind. That's   
when I decided to bind your powers. So that you would have a normal   
childhood. Well, as normal as possible, anyway."  
  
"I agues she takes a little after me," said Prue. "Just be   
careful what you say after you dink that, Heather. Whenever you   
rhyme, what you say might just happen."  
  
"Cool," said Heather, smiling.  
  
"Honey," said Piper, putting her arm around her daughter, "you   
and I are going to have to have a long talk. About Wicca   
responsibilities."  
  
"I'd listen to her if I was you," said Prue. "You can learn a   
lot from your mother."  
  
"I've always listened to her," said Heather.  
  
"Prue," said Piper, "what happened? After you left the manor?   
You mentioned something about a warlock."  
  
"Well," began Prue, "as you may remember, I decided to go for a   
ride. To cool off after our argument. On my way home, I noticed a   
man following this woman." 


	10. Part 2 Chapter 5

FIVE  
  
"And you think that energy ball somehow pushed you into our   
time?" asked Piper, after Prue ha explained what had happened.  
  
"The best I can figure," said Prue, "was a combination of that   
energy ball and my astral projection."  
  
"You can astral project?" asked Heather.  
  
"Yes," said Prue. "I haven't had that power very long but it   
can come in handy sometimes."  
  
"Maybe I'll get that power, too," said Heather.  
  
"We can worry about that later," said Piper. "Prue, I didn't   
know anything like that could happen.  
  
"Neither did I," said Prue. "Probably just a freak accident.   
But you know how unpredictable magic can be."  
  
"Aunt Prue," said Heather, "you said something about an innocent   
being in danger."  
  
"Yes," said Prue. "It turns out that this warlock is more than   
just a warlock. It also appears he's a serial killer."  
  
* * *  
  
Darryl answered the knock at his door. When he opened the door,   
Prue, Piper, and Heather were standing outside.  
  
"Mind if we come in?" asked Prue.  
  
Come on in," said Darryl. "Hello, Piper. It's been a long   
time.  
  
"Too long," said Piper, giving her old friend a hug. "Darryl,   
this is my daughter, Heather. Heather, this is Darryl Morris, a very   
old friend."  
  
"Let's just say I'm a friend," said Darryl, smiling. "I find I   
don't care for being and 'old' friend very much these days."  
  
Piper hugged Phoebe close. She suddenly realized how little   
time she had spent with her "baby" sister. She made a mental note to   
correct that.  
  
"So, are the two of you okay?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"Yes, we are," said Piper. "Prue explained everything to me.   
She also explained what's going on with this warlock. I've come to   
see if I could help."  
  
"Well, here we are again," said Phoebe. "The three of us.   
Feels like old times."  
  
"I don't' know about you," said Piper, "but I'm a little old to   
be going around chasing after warlocks and demons and such. And I   
haven't even used my power in more than twenty years."  
  
"You don't have to worry about that," said Prue. "I'm going   
after this warlock. We have history, you might say. But we were   
always stronger together. I'm going to need that strength if I'm   
going to defeat this warlock."  
  
"Yeah, about that," said Phoebe. "I'm having trouble coming up   
with a spell. Before, I always knew something about the target. This   
time I know next to nothing about this warlock. That makes it a   
little hard to write a spell that way."  
  
"You know," said Prue. "I never realized before just how much   
help Leo was to us. Now that I think about it, most of the   
information we had came from either him or the Book of Shadows."  
  
"Like I said," said Phoebe, "he was reassigned. He didn't even   
answer when Prue called for him when she first arrived here."  
  
"We're back together now," said Piper. "Maybe that will make a   
difference. Leo? Leo Wyatt? Leo, we need your help down here."  
  
They all waited but nothing happened. Leo didn't orb in.  
  
"I guess he can't hear us," said Phoebe.  
  
"Can't you use a spell or something?" asked Heather. "From what   
you've told me, magic can do just about anything."  
  
"I guess it's worth a try," said Prue. "Ordinarily, I wouldn't   
do it. But these are special circumstances."  
  
"Can't hurt to try, I guess," said Piper. "Now, all we need is   
a White Lighter summoning spell."  
  
"I call to you, your help I need," intoned Heather.  
  
"I call my White Lighter to come to me."  
  
Leo suddenly orbed into Darryl's living room.  
  
"What the," began Leo, then he realized where he was.  
  
"Heather," said Piper sternly, "you have to be careful with off   
the cuff spells. They can often come out totally different from what   
you want them to do."  
  
"Seems to have worked okay this time," said Heather smiling.  
  
"Just don't do it again," said Piper. "At least until I have a   
chance to instruct you a little more in the use of magic."  
  
Leo looked around at everyone, looking last at Piper. He wasn't   
dressed as he had been in Prue's time. Instead, he wore white robes.  
  
"Piper," he began.  
  
"Hello, Leo," she said, giving him a hug. "I'd forgotten how   
much I missed you. It's been a very long time."  
  
"You used to date him?" Heather whispered to her mom. "How   
could you let a hunk like him get away?"  
  
"Heather, please," Piper whispered back.  
  
Leo greeted each of his old friends. In the twenty-eight years   
that had passed, Leo hadn't changed a bit. But then, he was a White   
Lighter. They didn't age as mortals did.  
  
"So, you three are finally back together," said Leo. "I must   
admit, I didn't expect you to use a spell on me to get me here."  
  
"We didn't," said Prue, pointing at Heather. "She did."  
  
"You finally unbound her powers," Leo said to Piper. "I always   
knew you would one day. Hello, Heather. I'm Leo Wyatt. There was a   
time that I was your mothers' White Lighter."  
  
"I know," said Heather. "Mom's told me all about you. Though I   
didn't believe her at the time."  
  
"Little wonder," said Leo.  
  
"You don't seem surprised to see me," said Prue.  
  
"I'm not," said Leo. "We knew you'd arrived the moment you   
appeared in this time."  
  
"Why didn't you come when I called then?" asked Prue.  
  
"You needed time to adjust to coming here," said Leo. "The   
easiest way to do that was to let you learn what had happened on your   
own. I was planning to come down in a bit, anyway. After the three   
of you had a chance to get reacquainted. But it seems Heather   
couldn't wait."  
  
"You knew we needed your help?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"Of course," said Leo. "I've had a White Lighter looking over   
each of you. We always knew Prue would return one day. We needed to   
be prepared for it. You are the Charmed Ones, after all."  
  
"You sound like my boss at the video store where I work," said   
Heather.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I do a little," said Leo. "There's a very good   
reason for that. I'm no longer just a White Lighter. I'm an Elder.   
I have been for about ten years now."  
  
"Congratulations," said Darryl. "I didn't know White Lighters   
got promotions."  
  
"Sometimes," said Leo. "To be honest, I'd rather still be in   
the field. Being an Elder can be boring sometimes. It was never   
boring with the three of you around."  
  
"So," said Prue, "if you know we need your help, I guess you   
also know what we need."  
  
"Indeed I do," said Leo.  
  
He held up his hand and the Book of Shadows simply appeared. He   
handed the book to Phoebe.  
  
"What you're looking for is near the back of the book," he said.   
"You'll find it under the heading 'symbiotic demon'. You'll find   
everything you need to know."  
  
"Thanks," said Phoebe, taking the book.  
  
"I'm glad the two of you were able to make up," said Leo to Prue   
and Piper.  
  
"I can't believe I ever thought Prue would just walk out on us,"   
said Piper.  
  
"All in the past," said Prue.  
  
"How's it going, Darryl?" asked Leo.  
  
"Okay," said Darryl. "Can't complain too much."  
  
"And Heather," said Leo, turning to Pipers' daughter. "We've   
been waiting for your mother to unbind your powers. I guess I'll have   
to see about assigning a White Lighter to you."  
  
"Will it be you?" asked Heather, coyly.  
  
"No," replied Leo, smiling. "But it will be someone who will be   
able to give you the help and guidance you need."  
  
"Got it," announced Phoebe. "A symbiotic demon is a demon with   
no actual form of its' own. It exists by inhabiting the body of a   
willing host. Most of the time the demon and host stay in a sort of   
suspended animation. But periodically they come out of that state.   
The host finds victims for the demon. The host then kills the victims   
and the demon feeds of the life essence of the slain. IN return, the   
demon gives its' host additional powers and an extended lifespan."  
  
"That would explain the energy balls the warlock was able to   
use," said Prue.  
  
"And how the warlock is still alive but isn't any older," added   
Piper.  
  
"There's also a vanquishing spell in the book," said Phoebe,   
holding up a piece of paper. "Apparently, if you vanquish the demon,   
the host absorbs all the aging the demon has taken from it. Instant   
aging."  
  
"I'd say we're ready for them," said Prue. "All we have to do   
is find this warlock and then vanquish the demon. It should put an   
end to both of them."  
  
"I'll talk to the detective in charge," said Darryl. "I'll see   
if I can find out where James is supposed to be staying."  
  
"I need to bet back up there," said Leo. "There are a lot of   
other matters that need my attention." He looked over at Piper. "If   
you don't mind, I'd like to visit. Maybe catch up on old times."  
  
"I'd like that," said Piper.  
  
Leo smiled and then orbed out.  
  
"We'd better get busy," said Prue. "We have a demon to vanquish   
and a warlock and serial killer to stop."  
  
To be continued . . .  
  
Be sure not to miss the exciting conclusion in Part 3: One Last   
Chance. When their attempt to stop the warlock fails and Darryl dies,   
Prue decides she must return to the past to stop the warlock. But is   
even the Power of Three enough to return Prue to her own time?  
  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"   
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also   
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


	11. Part 3 Chapter 1

CHARMED  
"AN ALTERNATE DESTINY"  
by J. B. Tilton  
email: aramath@isot.com  
Rating: PG (for mild language)  
  
PART 3: ONE LAST CHANCE  
  
When their attempt to stop the warlock fails and Darryl dies,   
Prue decides she must return to the past to stop the warlock. But is   
even the Power of Three enough to return Prue to her own time?  
  
* * *  
  
ONE  
  
Locating Richard James proved to be harder to do than any of   
them had anticipated. The home address he had given to the police   
turned out to be fictitious. Not at all surprising to Darryl.  
  
In addition, no one seemed to know him. Even though he had   
apparently been exonerated with the third murder while he was in   
custody, the police still kept a tail on him. He had suddenly   
disappeared, leaving the surveillance team in a quandary.  
  
Even the official records on him seemed to have been misplaced.   
The arrest report, the officers' reports on the case, even the card   
used to fingerprint him had suddenly gone missing. Even his mug shot,   
along with the negative, had vanished as if into thin air.  
  
"They won't find them," commented Piper. "My guess is he   
blinked into the station lat at night and destroyed it all."  
  
"Sounds reasonable," said Darryl. "If he is the killer, it   
wouldn't do to have any evidence connecting him to the killings lying   
around."  
  
"Trust me, he's the killer," said Prue.  
  
"Which means," said Darryl, "we can't even prove he exits. I   
talked to one of the detectives who were dealing with the press. Even   
the footage the news stations shot on him has vanished."  
  
"He's thorough, I'll give him that," said Phoebe.  
  
"At least he hasn't had a chance to go after victim number   
five," said Prue. "Which means we could still have a chance to get   
him. But that may not be easy. I'm sure San Francisco has a lot of   
prostitutes in it. How do we narrow down the search?"  
  
"Can't you scry for him?" suggested Heather. "I think I   
remember you telling me once a story about scrying to find someone."  
  
"We did that quite a number of times, if I remember correctly,"   
said Phoebe. "But it won't work in this case. We'd need a personal   
item of his to make it work properly. Besides, there's no guarantee   
it would work against this symbiotic demon."  
  
"Does the Book of Shadows have anything on it that can help us?"   
asked Piper.  
  
"Nothing," said Phoebe. "Apparently the warlock holds up in   
some sort of hibernation in a secluded place. When he wakes up, he   
takes his victims. The demon gets their life essence and the warlock   
gets any powers, money, and personal items they have. Then, the   
warlock goes back into hibernation again. But there's nothing about   
where he hibernates."  
  
"My guess," said Darryl, "is that's where he's hold up right   
now. Choosing his next victim."  
  
"But how does he choose his victims?" asked Prue. "Don't most   
serial killers go after a specific type of victim?"  
  
"Yes," said Darryl. "But that's what's got us stumped. The   
only thing these victims have in common is that they're prostitutes   
under the age of thirty-five. Nothing else seems to connect them.  
  
"They don't have the same hair color, some work other jobs   
during the day while some don't. Only one had any children. They   
were all killed between dusk and dawn in the area where the   
prostitutes frequent."  
  
"Wait a minute," said Prue. "Twenty-eight years ago he wasn't'  
stalking a prostitute. And he was quite a ways from the red light   
district."  
  
"Actually," said Darryl, "that woman was a call girl. She was   
on her way to an appointment when she was murdered."  
  
"Yeah, but he was following her," said Prue. "Which means he   
was after her specifically. He could have found someone else, but he   
followed her all the way into the residential area. That means he's   
looking for something specific."  
  
"Now all we have to do is figure out what that is," said Piper.   
"And I don't think we have a whole lot of time to do it, either."  
  
They spent the next few hours pouring over the information on   
the case. As an official consultant on the case, Darryl had access to   
all the police information. They weren't sure it would do any good,   
but they had nothing else to go on. Dozens of detectives had already   
been over the same material many times before.  
  
"This is getting us nowhere," said Darryl finally, rubbing his   
eyes. "I've been over these files a dozen times and I'm not finding   
anything new. There's just nothing here that connects the victims to   
each other."  
  
"I'm going to need a new prescription for my glasses after   
this," joked Phoebe.  
  
"There has to be something," said Prue. "I can't believe all of   
the victims are just randomly selected."  
  
"Let's take a break," suggest Phoebe, starting to straighten up   
the pile of papers on the table. "Maybe things will be a bit clearer   
after . . .."  
  
Suddenly Phoebe stiffened.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Piper.  
  
"Whoa," said Phoebe. "I just had a premonition. After all   
these years, I really wasn't prepared for it. It was pretty intense.   
I'm okay, though."  
  
"A premonition?" asked Prue. "About the murders?"  
  
"Yes," replied Phoebe. "James was using an energy ball on a   
woman. She seemed stunned by it. Then he pulled out this wicked   
looking knife. That's all I got."  
  
"Did you see where it happened?" asked Darryl. "Do you know   
what the location is?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so," said Phoebe. "It was night out. We still   
have some time."  
  
"Let's go," said Prue. "With a little luck, we can put an end   
to this tonight." 


	12. Part 3 Chapter 2

TWO  
  
The five people sat hidden in the alley where Phoebe's   
premonition had shown the attack would occur. It hadn't been   
difficult to locate. They had arrived just before dusk. Since Phoebe   
had no way of knowing what time the attack would occur, they decided   
to simply wait for the warlock to show up. They had been waiting just   
over three hours.  
  
"Their plan was simple. Since he didn't know they were there,   
he'd probably wait for his victim to show up. When he got there,   
Piper would freeze him and then Prue would cast the vanquishing spell.  
  
It would all be over in moments. Of course, the case would   
remain unsolved for the police. But the innocent would be saved. And   
all the innocents in the future would be protected from this demon   
possessed warlock.  
  
"What do you plan to do after this? Piper asked Prue as they   
waited.  
  
"I don't know," said Prue. "Darryl said he'd help me get some   
proper identification. I don't have any. And no one is going to   
believe that I'm fifty-eight years old. I'll need to get a job. He   
said he could get me some identification with some adjusted dates so I   
can start looking for a job."  
  
"I was thinking," said Piper. "Maybe we could get the manor   
back. We could all move back there. It could be like old times."  
  
"I've seen the manor," said Prue. "It's not habitable. They're   
going to have to tear it down."  
  
"That's a shame," said Piper. "If I hadn't been so pig headed .   
. .."  
  
"It wasn't your fault," said Prue. "I just disappeared. Even   
Darryl and Phoebe thought I had run off. To be honest, I would   
probably have thought the same thing myself."  
  
"You know," said Piper, "I can't even remember what it was we   
argued about."  
  
"It was stupid," said Prue. "It was just after Leo proposed to   
you. I said it was a bad idea to try to fool the Elders."  
  
"Oh yeah, I remember now," said Piper. "I'm sorry about that.   
As I recall, I accused you of trying to ruin my happiness. I think I   
even accused you of being jealous. Afraid that you'd end up an old   
maid or something. I'm so sorry about that."  
  
"Yeah, you did," said Prue. "And you were right. I was   
jealous. I'm the oldest one. I felt I should be the first one to get   
married. It was my jealousy that caused all this. It wasn't any of   
my business if you and Leo got married. I should have stayed out of   
it. If I had, maybe you and Leo might have ended up together."  
  
"Water under the bridge," said Piper. "But you're back now. We   
can start to mend some fences. Besides, there's a lot you can teach   
Heather. And she's going to need that now that she has her powers   
back."  
  
Suddenly a figure moved into the alley from the street. The   
light from the streetlamp just barely illuminated Richard James as he   
stepped behind a dumpster, obscuring him from the street.  
  
"Looks like you're up," whispered Prue. "You freeze him and   
I'll read the spell. He'll be vanquished before he even knows we're   
here."  
  
Piper just smiled. A quick test at Darryl's had proven she   
still had her powers. Now, for the first time in twenty-five years,   
she'd use those powers again to protect the life of an innocent.  
  
"Piper raised her hands. Nothing happened. James didn't   
freeze. Piper tried again with the same results. Her power was not   
affecting him.  
  
"Damn," swore Piper. "The innocent could come along any minute.   
We have to get him away from the street."  
  
Prue rose from her hiding place and reached out with her   
telekinetic ability. She planned to throw the warlock back up the   
alley. Where she and her sisters could stop him.  
  
But her power never took hold of him. Instead, it reflected   
around him as if he had an invisible shield protecting him. He spun   
to face her.  
  
"You," he hissed at her, surprise in his voice. "I thought I   
had destroyed you the last time we met. But you did show me that I   
had a weakness." He reached up and grabbed a necklace around his   
neck. "In two hundred fifty four years you were the only witch ever   
to try to stop me. So I decided to invest in a little insurance.  
  
"A small talisman that protects me from your powers. I figured   
if I ever ran into another witch, it might come in handy. It was   
quite expensive, I can assure you. But I can see it was a wise   
investment."  
  
"Maybe it won't work on you," said Prue, "but it will still work   
on other things."  
  
Prue used her power on the dumpster he was standing next to.   
The dumpster slid against him, pinning him between it and the wall.   
But he was far from trapped. He simply blinked out and reappeared at   
the entrance to the alley.  
  
"You didn't really think that would hold me, did you, witch?"   
asked James.  
  
Suddenly a large rock flew across the alley, striking the   
warlock in the back. He was knocked to the ground, but quickly   
regained his feet. He looked around to see Piper, Phoebe, Heather,   
and Darryl moving out of their hiding places.  
  
"She's not alone this time," said Piper.  
  
"And she's not the only one who can move objects," added   
Heather.  
  
James looked around him. Even if he was protected against their   
magic, he was greatly outnumbered. The police may not be able to   
prove anything, but the longer he remained in the public eye, the   
greater his chances of exposure.  
  
"I suppose we'll have to postpone our little reunion," said   
James. "I'm afraid I don't care much for crowds."  
  
"He's going to blink out," shouted Piper.  
  
"No," screamed Heather, reaching out toward the warlock to stop   
him.  
  
She was much too far away to stop him, of course. Reaching out   
had been a reflex action. Suddenly, a brilliant light flashed   
directly in front of the warlock's face. Almost everyone was too far   
away for the light to have any substantial affect on them. But it had   
flashed directly in front of James' eyes. He reached up immediately   
and covered his eyes, cursing at Heather.  
  
"Whoa, did I do that?" asked Heather in total amazement.  
  
"Quick, the talisman," shouted Phoebe.  
  
Darryl was the closest to James. He moved into grab the   
protection device. As he did, James cast an energy ball in   
desperation. The weapon struck Darryl full in the chest, sending him   
flying back across the alley.  
  
Everyone froze for an instant as Darryl struck the wall of a   
building and slumped to the ground. Seeing that he wasn't moving,   
they once more turned on the warlock.  
  
Just then a woman walked around the corner of the building   
nearest James. It was the woman Phoebe had seen in her premonition.   
She stopped short, looking around at the battle scene. James had   
recovered from the flash attack and reached out and grabbed her by the   
arm. He held her in front of him as a human shield.  
  
"Well, it seems I have what I came for after all," said James.   
"Sorry I can't stick around, ladies. But I'm afraid I have more   
urgent business which demands my attention at the moment."  
  
Before any of the women could move, the warlock blinked out of   
the alley and was gone. Along with his hostage. They had no way of   
knowing where he was. And he had gotten his fifth, and final, victim.  
  
"The four women rushed over to help Darryl. But it was already   
too late. Darryl lay unmoving in the alley where he had fallen. He   
was already dead from the energy ball the warlock had used on him. 


	13. Part 3 Chapter 3

THREE  
  
The mood was very somber around Pipers' house. The Charmed Ones   
had failed to protect an innocent. And another innocent had died in   
the process.  
  
"I still don't know why you didn't just have Leo come down and   
heal Darryl," said Heather.  
  
"It wouldn't have done any good," said Prue. "White Lighters   
can't raise the dead."  
  
"But why did we just have to leave him in that alley?" asked   
Heather. "He was your friend. An anonymous call telling the police   
where his body was just seems so uncaring."  
  
"We couldn't be connected with it, honey," said Piper. "There   
would have been too many questions we just couldn't answer for the   
police. I'm just thankful they took the call seriously and found him   
right away."  
  
"Well," said Phoebe, coming in from the living room carry the   
Book of Shadows, "I've been completely through the book. There's   
nothing in it that will help us find James."  
  
"Isn't there anything we can do?" asked Piper. "It's been three   
days. There must be someway to locate him."  
  
I've tried everything I can think of," said Phoebe. "None of my   
spells worked. I even tried to scry for him. All without success.   
He's just vanished. I don't know what else to try."  
  
"Which means he's gone back into hibernation for another twenty-  
eight years," said Prue. "And this vanquishing spell is useless to   
us."  
  
"All we can do now," said Piper, "is make an entry in the Book   
of Shadows about James. Maybe a future descendent will be able to   
stop him twenty-eight years from now."  
  
"I wish there was something we could do now," said Heather.   
"Some way to get him now so there won't be any more victims."  
  
"I'm afraid there isn't," said Piper. "Besides, we have   
something else to concern ourselves with. We need to find out the   
extent of your powers. You seem to be expanding them much faster than   
we did."  
  
"Maybe not," said Prue.  
  
"She got that flash thingy after only a few days," said Phoebe.   
"We never got new powers that quickly."  
  
"No, I mean maybe there is something we can do about James,"   
said Prue. "Listen, I've been thinking. Magic brought me ahead in   
time. It should be able to send me back."  
  
"There was only one spell in the Book of Shadows for that," said   
Piper. "And we used it thirty years ago. We don't have it any more."  
  
"Maybe not," said Prue. "But we do have the Power of Three.   
It's supposed to be the most powerful magic for good in history. We   
used it to bring Melinda Warren from the past. Why can't we use it to   
send me back?"  
  
"We've never tried anything like that before," said Piper. "I'm   
not sure it will work."  
  
"What have we got to loose?" asked Phoebe. "Remember when we   
went back to the 1970s? Grams used a spell to send us back to the   
future. It took the Power of Three to do it, but it worked."  
  
"Mom," said Heather, "you always said you believed the Power of   
Three could do just about anything. Isn't it worth a try? If it   
works, maybe the three of you can stop James in the past. You can   
prevent Darryl's death."  
  
"And the deaths of James' victims in this year," added Prue.   
"Piper, Phoebe can write the spell but it won't do any good without   
your help. The worst that can happen is it won't work. And things   
won't be any worse than they are now."  
  
"I guess it can't hurt to try," said Piper. "Darryl doesn't   
deserve to die that way. Especially after all the times he helped us.   
Phoebe, do you think you can come up with a Power of Three spell that   
will work?"  
  
"Well, it's been a long time," said Phoebe, looking over at   
Prue. "But it's like riding a bicycle. You never forget."  
  
"Let us know when it's ready," said Prue. "In the mean time,   
I'll get dressed in my own clothes."  
  
Phoebe spent nearly three hours working on the spell. She   
wanted to be sure she had the wording just right. So it would return   
Prue to her own time. And so Prue would get back in time to stop   
James from taking the victim he had been tracking when Prue had first   
encountered him. Before he had taken all of his victims in 2000.   
When she finished, she showed the spell to her sisters.  
  
"This should work," said Prue, looking at the spell. "If it   
works, I should return at almost the same instant I left. I'll just   
have to remember to duck so the energy ball doesn't hit me."  
  
"Prue," said Piper, "set things right with me when you get back.   
Don't let some stupid argument come between us."  
  
"Don't worry," said Prue, hugging her sister, "II had already   
decided to do that. I just got a little side tracked, that's all."  
  
"Well, baby sister," said Prue to Phoebe, "you finally got your   
wish. You weren't the youngest sister any longer. Even if it was   
only for a while."  
  
"I'll be glad to be the youngest again," said Phoebe. "If it   
means getting you back."  
  
"Heather," said Prue, turning to her niece. "You're going to   
make a fine witch. Listen to your mother and your Aunt Phoebe.   
You'll learn a lot form them."  
  
"I will," said Heather. "I'm just glad I got the chance to   
finally meet you. And that you and mom were able to work out your   
differences."  
  
The four women hugged each other once more. If they succeeded,   
thing would change. And none of them knew what those changes would   
be.  
  
"I guess there's no sense in waiting any longer," said Prue,   
pulling the spell out of her pocket. "Might as well get this over   
with."  
  
The three sisters joined hands. It would combine their power   
and form the Power of Three needed for the spell. Heather stood off   
to one side watching as they recited the spell.  
  
"From the future to the past, send this sister home at last.  
  
"The Power of Three must reunite, to keep the world full of   
light.  
  
"Return her now so she at last, may fight the evil of the past.  
  
"Return her home for evils' bane, and join her with her sisters   
again."  
  
They all watched as the magic formed and enveloped Prue. She   
felt a slight shudder as the magic began to build, completing the   
spell. Then, suddenly, the magic dissipated, leaving Prue standing in   
Piper's living room. No one spoke. They all knew what had happened.   
Not even the Power of Three was strong enough to return Prue to her   
own time. 


	14. Part 3 Chapter 4

FOUR  
  
"It didn't work," said Phoebe. "I don't understand it. It   
should have worked. What went wrong?"  
  
"It's just not strong enough," said Prue dejectedly. "Not even   
the Power of Three is strong enough to send me back."  
  
"I'm confused," said Heather. "If a single warlock can send you   
into the future, why can't your power send Aunt Prue back?"  
  
"I don't know, honey," said Piper. "Magic doesn't always work   
the way you want it to. We just aren't strong enough, that's all."  
  
"Maybe not alone," said Heather, "but what about me? I'm the   
daughter of a Charmed One, aren't I? Couldn't I combine my power with   
yours? Maybe that will be enough to send Aunt Prue back."  
  
"If you were any other witch," said Prue, "I'd say no. But you   
do have a point. Being the daughter of a Charmed One just might make   
the difference. What do you guys think?"  
  
"Makes sense to me," said Phoebe.  
  
"As my daughter said earlier," said Piper, "it's worth a try, I   
guess."  
  
Heather read through the spell several times to become familiar   
with it. Then the four women formed a circle, holding hands. They   
each took a deep breath, and then recited the spell again.  
  
Once more the magic formed and enveloped Prue. But this time it   
didn't dissipate. It continued to build, growing stronger with each   
passing second. Suddenly, Prue felt herself beginning to move through   
time. Her sisters and niece watched as she slowly faded from view.  
  
"I love you all," said Prue.  
  
"Then, she was gone.  
  
* * *  
  
Prue looked around her. She was standing in an alley. But it   
didn't look like the alley where she had been fighting the warlock in   
her own time. The alley was dingy and poorly lit. And it was filled   
with all types of trash and litter.  
  
Prue looked up at the streetlamp. She had seen the type before.   
But only in books and occasionally in her job at Bucklands. It wasn't   
the electrical fluorescent lamps she was used to seeing along the   
street. It was a gas-powered lamp. The type used in the late 1800s   
and early 1900s. Before electricity became widespread.  
  
It wasn't hard for Prue to figure out what had happened. The   
spell had worked all right. But it had worked too well. Instead of   
returning her to her own time, it had sent her farther back in time.   
Probably to the turn of the twentieth century.  
  
But that didn't make any sense. The spell should have returned   
her to the year 2000. She should have returned at about the same time   
she had been fighting James. Why would it be so far off?  
  
Suddenly a figure came out of a door near her. The figure was   
dressed in black and was apparently stuffing something into one of   
its' pockets. After a moment the figure turned and faced Prue. There   
was a look of surprise on his face. As if he had not expected to   
Prue, or anyone else, to be about.  
  
It was Richard James.  
  
James was dressed in turn of the century clothes. In one hand   
he held a long, wicked looking dagger. The front of his clothes were   
soaked in fresh blood.  
  
Suddenly Prue realized why the spell had worked as they had   
planned. It had brought her back in time to face James. "Return her   
now so she at last, may fight the evil of the past." Instead of   
returning her to her own time, it had brought her back to 1888. To   
White Chapel in London, England. When James would gain his infamous   
moniker of Jack the Ripper.  
  
James raised the dagger to strike Prue with it. Instinctively,   
Prue reacted out with her telekinetic power in self-defense.   
Instinctively she also knew it would be useless. She didn't even   
exist yet. Neither did her power.  
  
To her total surprise, James was thrown across the alley to the   
opposite side. His dagger clattered to the cobblestone pavement.   
Barely stunned, James reached for the dagger again.  
  
Prue reached into her pocket for the vanquishing spell Phoebe   
had given her. She didn't understand why her powers were working in   
this time. But if they worked, she reasoned, maybe the spell would   
work, too.  
  
James picked up the dagger and turned for Prue. She held the   
piece of paper up, trying desperately to get enough good light to read   
the incantation. Just as James reached her and raised his dagger to   
strike, she read the spell aloud.  
  
"Demon joined with its' host, spreading pain and suffering to   
its' victims  
  
"Sever the bond that joins them as one, and vanquish the demon   
to eternal suffering."  
  
The warlock stiffened. The magic of the spell enveloped him,   
holding him immobilized as it forced the symbiotic demon from his   
body. Prue watched as the shadowy demon rose above James and hung   
suspended in midair.  
  
Suddenly a piecing shriek broke the still of the night air. The   
demon howled in agony as the magic of the spell drained its' power.   
Within seconds, the demon vanished, vanquished by the power of Prues'   
spell.  
  
Prue turned to face the now demonless James. Instead of   
attacking, James dropped to his knees. Prue watched in horror as he   
rapidly began to age. Within seconds his body was reduced to a   
handful of dust that blew about in the night wind.  
  
Prue knew what had happened. IN 2028 James had commented that   
no witch had tried to stop him in two hundred fifty four years. Which   
meant that in 1888, James would have lived one hundred fourteen years   
beyond whatever age he had been when he had first allowed the demon to   
possess him. Without the demon, the warlock had suddenly regained all   
those years back in an instant.  
  
Prue heard voices shouting in the distance. She also heard a   
whistle blowing. The whistle of an English policeman, no doubt. She   
had to get out of there in a hurry.  
  
Before she could move she felt a shudder pass through her. Then   
Prue Halliwell once again moved through time. 


	15. Part 3 Chapter 5

FIVE  
  
Prue looked around her. She was standing next to a dumpster in   
an alley. The same alley she had been in when she had first   
confronted James. But the warlock was nowhere to be seen. Prue   
didn't find this strange. She had vanquished him in 1888. Which   
meant he wasn't alive to fight here in 2000.  
  
She looked around but found no one on the street. Cautiously,   
she made her way back to where she had left her car. She found it   
sitting right where she had left it. A check of the clock in the car   
showed her watch was only off by a few minutes. Thankful the ordeal   
was finally finished, Prue started the car and drove immediately to   
the manor. Phoebe was just coming down the stairs as Prue walked into   
the manor.  
  
"I hope you've cooled off some," said Phoebe.  
  
Prue just hugged Phoebe close. She hugged her longer than she   
normally did. She had missed the young Phoebe so much.  
  
"I'm fine, Pheebs," said Prue. "I'm sorry about what happened.   
I'm sorry you were caught in the middle of it."  
  
"That's okay," said Phoebe, perplexed. "Usually it's you and me   
at each other throats."  
  
Just then, Piper came out of the kitchen. She looked at Prue.  
  
"Prue," said Piper, a note of disgust in her voice, "I don't   
want to argue any more."  
  
"No, no, we won't," said Prue, hugging Piper as close as she had   
Phoebe. "I was totally out of line. You were right, Piper. It   
really wasn't any of my business. I should have kept my mouth shut.  
  
"And you were right about something else. I was jealous. After   
my engagement fell through and Andy's death and everything, I didn't   
think it was fair for you to find a guy as wonderful as Leo. From now   
on I'm not going to say any more about it. If you decide to marry   
Leo, I'll support you any way I can."  
  
"Okay," said Piper, totally confused, "who are you and where is   
my sister?"  
  
"Let's just say," said Prue, "I had a lot to think over. And I   
didn't care for a lot of things I discovered. I don't want a stupid   
argument to ever come between us. Any of us."  
  
"I'll go along with that," said Phoebe.  
  
"I'm kind of tired," said Prue. "Think I'll turn in early."  
  
Halfway up the stairs, she turned back to here sisters.  
  
"Guys," she said, "I just want you to know that, no matter what   
happens between us, I'll always be here for you. I'd never abandon   
you or just walk out on you. I want you to know that."  
  
"We know that," said Piper.  
  
"I just don't want you to ever forget it," said Prue.  
  
"Okay, what was that all about?" asked Phoebe after Prue had   
gone up to her room. "When she left here she could chew nails. When   
she comes home, she's dripping honey. And what was all that about   
never abandoning us?"  
  
"I don't know," said Piper. "Something must have happened while   
she was gone. Something she's not quite ready to tell us about. But   
I'm sure she will when she's ready. Let's just give her some time."  
  
* * *  
  
"And then I returned to the present," finished Prue. "James was   
nowhere to be seen."  
  
"That's quite a story," said Leo.  
  
"It's all true," said Prue. "I had to tell someone. That's why   
I called you. Other than Piper and Phoebe, you're the only one who   
could really understand."  
  
"Why haven't you told them?" asked Leo.  
  
"Leo, I've seen the future," said Prue. "I can't tell them how   
things are going to turn out."  
  
"They probably won't turn out that way," said Leo. "Everything   
that happened happened because you didn't come home. Now that you've   
come back, all of that's changed."  
  
"You really think so?" asked Prue.  
  
"Think of it this way," said Leo. "Think of time as an infinite   
number of streets that intersect each other. As you drive down the   
street each turn you make leads to a different destination.  
  
When you came back, you turned a different way from the way you   
had turned before. When you didn't come back. So, now, you're   
heading in a different direction. With a different destination.   
Everything you do from here on out will produce a totally different   
outcome."  
  
"I hope you're right," said Prue. "One thing I don't   
understand. How come my powers and the spell worked when I was in the   
past?"  
  
"I guess it was the power of the spell that sent you back," said   
Leo. "It must have allowed your magic to go with you. It's the only   
thing that would account for your powers remaining intact while you   
were in the past."  
  
"And once I had finished James," said Prue, "the spell returned   
me to the present."  
  
"That's about the size of it," said Leo.  
  
"Something else I don't understand," said Prue. "You've told us   
we can't change the past. But I did change the past. James didn't   
kill all those other victims after 1888 like he did before I   
vanquished him. How is that possible if you can't change the past?"  
  
"You must have been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper," said   
Leo. "That's the only explanation."  
  
"How can I have been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper when I   
wasn't even born until ninety years or so after he murdered all those   
women?" asked Prue.  
  
"I can't answer that," said Leo. "But you can't second guess   
fate. If you hadn't been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper, you   
never would have been able to do it. Just be satisfied that you were   
able to save at least twenty-five innocents when you did."  
  
"There's still a lot about this whole experience I don't   
understand," said Prue. "Like how Heathers' power could be combined   
with Pipers', Phoebes', and mine. It's supposed to be the Power of   
Three. Even if she's Pipers' daughter, I don't understand how her   
power could combine with ours."  
  
"There's a lot you may never understand," said Leo, smiling.   
"My advice: don't worry about it. Everything worked out for the best.   
Just accept it."  
  
"I'll try," said Prue. "At least now I can make sure that Piper   
and Phoebe don't turn out the way I saw in the future. And Darryl   
won't die because of us. After Andy, I'm not sure I could take   
another innocent dying because of us. Thanks for taking the time to   
talk with me, Leo. I know you have a lot on your mind right now."  
  
"I'm still your White Lighter," said Leo. "No matter what else   
may be going on in my life, I still have to be here to help you.   
That's my job."  
  
"Thanks anyway," said Prue. "I appreciate it all the same."  
  
"Well, if that's all you needed me for," said Leo, "I think I'll   
go see Piper. Things still aren't completely settled between us."  
  
"I'm sure they will be," said Prue. "Go on. You've been a big   
help to me. I'm going to be okay."  
  
Leo smiled, and then left her room. Prue had left out the part   
of her story about Leo becoming an Elder. For some reason, she felt   
it best if no one ever knew that. If Leo was right, and everything   
would change, he may not become an Elder. Especially if he and Piper   
got married.  
  
Somehow, she decided that would probably be for the best. Leo   
had said himself that he preferred to be "in the field". That would   
be another thing she could make sure stayed as it was.  
  
Smiling to herself, Prue began to get ready for bed. Tomorrow   
was another day. And she'd be there to experience it with her   
sisters. As it should be.  
  
The End  
  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"   
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also   
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


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